Vehicle based communication system

ABSTRACT

A touch screen/keyboard is positionable within a vehicle. The touch screen/keyboard has a cradle. A projector is positioned on a dashboard of the vehicle. In this manner digital data is displayed on a windshield of the vehicle. A receiver couples the touch screen/keyboard and the projector. In this manner digital data is received and transmitted. A computer couples the touch screen/keyboard and the receiver. Further in this manner digital data is received and transmitted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle base communication system andmore particularly pertains to sending and receiving text messagesthrough heads up displaying and selective inputting, the sending andreceiving and the displaying and inputting being done in a safe,convenient and economical manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofcommunication systems of known designs and configurations now present inthe prior art, the present invention provides an improved vehicle basedcommunication system. As such, the general purpose of the presentinvention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is toprovide a new and improved vehicle based communication system and methodwhich has all the advantages of the prior art and none of thedisadvantages.

To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a vehiclebased communication system. First provided is a vehicle. The vehicle hasa forward end. The vehicle has a rearward end. The vehicle includes adashboard. The vehicle includes a windshield. The windshield extendslaterally across the width of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes arearwardly extending steering wheel. The steering wheel is located toone side of the dashboard and windshield.

A standard touch screen/keyboard is provided. The standard touchscreen/keyboard is coupled to a laterally intermediate region of thedashboard. The touch screen/keyboard extends rearwardly. The standardtouch screen/keyboard has alpha-numeric keys. The keys are adapted to becontacted by a user. In this manner text messages are created. Thestandard touch screen/keyboard has a cradle.

Provided next is a projector. The projector extends upwardly from thedashboard forwardly of and in longitudinal alignment with the steeringwheel. The projector is adapted to project text messages onto thewindshield centered in front of a user sitting at the steering wheel.The projected text messages include a plurality of optional formats. Theoptional formats include horizontally and vertically spaced messages.Note FIG. 2.

Further provided is a receiver. The receiver is positioned within thedashboard. The receiver wirelessly couples the standard touchscreen/keyboard and the projector. In this manner digital data istransmitted from the standard touch screen/keyboard to the projector.The receiver includes an antenna. In this manner digital data isreceived from the standard touch screen/keyboard and from remotecommunication devices. Further in this manner the received digital datais transmitted to the projector and displayed as messages. Thewindshield has a height and a width. Each message has a height and awidth. The windshield has a top 67 percent devoid of messages and abottom 33 percent adapted to receive messages covering the majority ofthe bottom 33 percent of the windshield in front of the steering wheel.The width of the message is greater than the height of the messages.

Provided last is a computer. The computer is positioned within thedashboard. The computer wirelessly couples the standard touchscreen/keyboard and the receiver. In this manner digital data istransmitted from the standard touch screen/keyboard to the computer andthen to the projector. The computer is adapted to receive digital datafrom the standard touch screen/keyboard. The computer is further adaptedto transmit the received digital data to the receiver and then to theprojector to transmit digital data through the standard touchscreen/keyboard and receiver and projector. In this manner data isdisplayed on the windshield.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course,additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims attached.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of theinvention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction and to thearrangements of the components set forth in the following description orillustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not beregarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved vehicle based communication system which has all of theadvantages of the prior art communication systems of known designs andconfigurations and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved vehicle based communication system which may be easily andefficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved vehicle based communication system which is of durable andreliable constructions.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved vehicle based communication system which is susceptible of alow cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, andwhich accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to theconsuming public, thereby making such vehicle based communication systemeconomically available to the buying public.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide avehicle based communication system for sending and receiving textmessages through heads up displaying and selective inputting, thesending and receiving and the displaying and inputting being done in asafe, convenient and economical manner.

Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved vehicle based communication system. A touch screen/keyboard ispositionable within a vehicle. The touch screen/keyboard has a cradle. Aprojector is positioned on a dashboard of the vehicle. In this mannerdigital data is displayed on a windshield of the vehicle. A receivercouples the touch screen/keyboard and the projector. In this mannerdigital data is received and transmitted. A computer couples the touchscreen/keyboard and the receiver. Further in this manner digital data isreceived and transmitted.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with thevarious features of novelty which characterize the invention, arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational of a heads up texting system with computerand touch screen/keyboard constructed in accordance with the principlesof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the system shown in FIG. 1.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout thevarious Figures throughout the primary and alternate embodiments of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof,the preferred embodiment of the new and improved vehicle basedcommunication system embodying the principles and concepts of thepresent invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10will be described.

The present invention, the vehicle based communication system 10 iscomprised of a plurality of components. Such components in theirbroadest context include a touch screen/keyboard, a projector, areceiver and a computer. Such components are individually configured andcorrelated with respect to each other so as to attain the desiredobjective.

First provided is a vehicle 14. The vehicle has a forward end 16. Thevehicle has a rearward end 18. The vehicle includes a dashboard 20. Thevehicle includes a windshield 22. The windshield extends laterallyacross the width of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a rearwardlyextending steering wheel 24. The steering wheel is located to one sideof the dashboard and windshield.

A standard touch screen/keyboard 28 is provided. The standard touchscreen/keyboard is coupled to a laterally intermediate region of thedashboard. The touch screen/keyboard extends rearwardly. The standardtouch screen/keyboard has alpha-numeric keys 30. The keys are adapted tobe contacted by a user. In this manner text messages are created. Thestandard touch screen/keyboard has a cradle 32.

Provided next is a projector 38. The projector extends upwardly from thedashboard forwardly of and in longitudinal alignment with the steeringwheel. The projector is adapted to project text messages onto thewindshield centered in front of a user sitting at the steering wheel.The projected text messages include a plurality of optional formats. Theoptional formats include horizontally and vertically spaced messages.Note FIG. 2.

Further provided is a receiver 42. The receiver is positioned within thedashboard. The receiver wirelessly couples the standard touchscreen/keyboard and the projector. In this manner digital data istransmitted from the standard touch screen/keyboard to the projector.The receiver includes an antenna 44. In this manner digital data isreceived from the standard touch screen/keyboard and from remotecommunication devices. Further in this manner the received digital datais transmitted to the projector and displayed as messages. Thewindshield has a height and a width. Each message has a height and awidth. The windshield has a top 67 percent devoid of messages and abottom 33 percent adapted to receive messages covering the majority ofthe bottom 33 percent of the windshield in front of the steering wheel.The width of the message is greater than the height of the messages.

Provided last is a computer 48. The computer is positioned within thedashboard. The computer wirelessly couples the standard touchscreen/keyboard and the receiver. In this manner digital data istransmitted from the standard touch screen/keyboard to the computer andthen to the projector. The computer is adapted to receive digital datafrom the standard touch screen/keyboard. The computer is further adaptedto transmit the received digital data to the receiver and then to theprojector to transmit digital data through the standard touchscreen/keyboard and receiver and projector. In this manner data isdisplayed on the windshield.

As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, thesame should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, nofurther discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will beprovided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LettersPatent of the United States is as follows:
 1. A vehicle basedcommunication system (10) for sending and receiving text messagesthrough heads up displaying and selective inputting, the sending andreceiving and the displaying and inputting being done in a safe,convenient and economical manner, the system comprising, in combination:a vehicle (14) having a forward end (16) and a rearward end (18), thevehicle including a dashboard (20) and a windshield (22) extendinglaterally across the width of the vehicle, the vehicle also including arearwardly extending steering wheel (24) located to one side of thedashboard and windshield; a standard touch screen/keyboard (28) coupledto a laterally intermediate region of the dashboard and extendingrearwardly thereof, the standard touch screen/keyboard havingalpha-numeric keys (30) adapted to be contacted by a user to create textmessages, the standard touch screen/keyboard having a cradle (32; aprojector (38) extending upwardly from the dashboard forwardly of and inlongitudinal alignment with the steering wheel, the projector adapted toproject text messages onto the windshield centered in front of a usersitting at the steering wheel, the projected text messages including aplurality of optional formats including horizontally and verticallyspaced messages; a receiver (42) positioned within the dashboard, thereceiver wirelessly coupling the standard touch screen/keyboard and theprojector for transmitting digital data from the standard touchscreen/keyboard to the projector, the receiver including an antenna (44)for receiving digital data from the standard touch screen/keyboard andfrom remote communication devices and for transmitting the receiveddigital data to the projector for display as messages, the windshieldhaving a height and a width, each message having a height and a width,the windshield having a top 67 percent devoid of messages and a bottom33 percent adapted to receive messages covering the majority of thebottom 33 percent of the windshield in front of the steering wheel, thewidth of the message being greater than the height of the message; acomputer (48) positioned within the dashboard, the computer wirelesslycoupling the coupling the standard touch screen/keyboard and thereceiver for transmitting digital data from the standard touchscreen/keyboard to the computer and then to the projector, the computeradapted to receive digital data from the standard touch screen/keyboardand adapted to transmit the received digital data to the receiver andthen to the projector to transmit digital data through the standardtouch screen/keyboard and receiver and projector for display on thewindshield.